Hudson Institute Events Podcast

Hudson welcomes French Army Chief of Staff General Pierre Schill, one of Europe’s most senior military leaders, for a discussion on the evolving strategic environment and the French Army’s transformation in a rapidly changing world.
General Schill will discuss:
How new dynamics are shaping France’s evolving strategic concept and defense posture
The French Army’s role as a global military force, deployed in support of national interests, allied commitments, and international security
How operational experience feeds directly into force adaptation and readiness
The ongoing transformation of land forces, including the integration of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence
The human dimensions of military effectiveness—recruitment, training, leadership development, and cohesion
Additionally, drawing on his most recent book Command : Insight from the French Army, General Schill will reflect on the future of land warfare and commanding by intent, with an emphasis on the importance of trust, initiative, and decentralized decision-making in modern warfare.
This event will conclude with a Q&A session, offering the audience an opportunity to engage with a European and French perspective on the strategic, operational, and human challenges shaping the future of land warfare.

President Donald Trump has opened his second term with several major foreign policy moves: targeted strikes on Iran’s nuclear program, sweeping trade negotiations and tariff regimes, a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan, and a landmark North Atlantic Treaty Organization summit in The Hague. All these underscore the president’s emphasis on proactive diplomacy, peace talks, and conflict resolution—exemplified by his achievement of an Israel-Hamas ceasefire framework.
The National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy both outline the administration’s approach of “flexible realism” and prioritize the Western Hemisphere and Indo-Pacific.
In January 2026 alone, the Trump administration has continued its rapid pace of foreign policy with the removal of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro, a major trade and investment deal with Taiwan, and renewed focus on the emerging Arctic security competition.
Join Senior Fellow Rebeccah Heinrichs and Congressman Pat Fallon (R-TX) for a discussion on the Trump administration’s first year of foreign policy and the risks and opportunities ahead.

Transatlantic relations are seemingly going through a period of recalibration following the World Economic Forum in Davos and amid ongoing talks about the future of Greenlandic security. Across North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) capitals, debates are swirling about the future of Europe’s relationship with the United States.
Yet it remains as true today as it has for decades that a strong Europe is America’s best partner. Now, steadfast allies like Romania have a chance to chart Europe’s course toward a new economic, diplomatic, and military relationship with the US.
To that end, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu will visit Washington to participate in the first critical minerals ministerial, convened by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Please join her as she returns to Hudson for a fireside chat with Center on Europe and Eurasia Director Peter Rough to take stock of the past year and anticipate what might lie ahead.

The Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East will host a conversation with Ambassador Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the United States special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism. With Senior Fellow Michael Doran, the ambassador will discuss the Trump administration’s record in confronting the rise of antisemitism, including key achievements, ongoing priorities, and remaining challenges. Additionally, they will explore the importance of combating antisemitism for American efforts to support democratic resilience and manage the US alliance system.

On December 12, 2025, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg and representatives from Japan, the State of Israel, Australia, the Republic of Singapore, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland signed a declaration to mark the beginning of Pax Silica—a United States–led strategic initiative to build the secure, prosperous, and innovation-driven silicon supply chain essential for the future of artificial intelligence (AI). The State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates joined the initiative as the eighth and ninth Pax Silica signatories, with others expected to follow. Their accession marks a significant milestone in the Trump administration’s economic statecraft strategy and signals a fast-expanding geopolitical consensus that economic security and national security are now inextricable.
As AI continues to transform global economics, politics, and security at an unprecedented pace, Under Secretary Helberg inaugurated Pax Silica based on the fundamental premise that the world’s most prosperous and secure countries will be those that prioritize resilient supply chains, trusted technologies, and strategic infrastructure as indispensable aspects of national power and economic growth.
Please join Under Secretary Helberg and Hudson Executive Vice President Joel Scanlon for a discussion on the Pax Silica initiative, America’s strategy to win the global AI race, and the new geopolitical imperatives of economic security and technology.